Trump: US-Iran Agreement Largely Reached, Strait of Hormuz to Reopen

Key news on the US-Iran war. Central News Agency, Washington, May 23. A glimmer of hope has emerged for a US-Iran peace agreement. US President Donald Trump announced today, following phone calls with several Middle Eastern leaders, that an agreement has been largely reached. The final aspects and details of the agreement are currently under discussion and will be announced in the near future. He also stated that the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global shipping lane, will be reopened. Earlier today, Trump told US media that negotiators from the US and Iran are 'getting closer and closer' to finalizing an agreement to end the war in the Middle East. In the afternoon, Trump posted on his social media platform, Truth Social, that he had 'very good' phone calls with leaders from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, and Bahrain, as well as Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff, Asim Munir. He said the calls discussed matters concerning Iran and all issues related to the memorandum of understanding for peace, adding that 'an agreement has been largely reached,' pending finalization by the US, Iran, and the aforementioned countries. Additionally, Trump noted that he had a smooth phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Trump pointed out that 'the final aspects and details of this agreement are currently being discussed and will be announced in the near future.' The Strait of Hormuz will also be opened. According to the US media outlet Axios, Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir, who acted as a mediator, left Tehran earlier today after holding talks with senior Iranian officials to push for the agreement. According to reports, an Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson stated earlier that the memorandum of understanding between Iran and the US to end the war has entered the final discussion stage. This memorandum will involve the gradual reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, the lifting of the US blockade, and the release of frozen Iranian funds. The spokesperson said that negotiations lasting 30 to 60 days will follow to finalize the specific details. Since the US and Israel launched the war against Iran on February 28, Iran has effectively blockaded the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping route. With Pakistan's mediation, the parties began a fragile temporary ceasefire on April 8. Before the war broke out, one-fifth of the world's oil and natural gas was transported through the Strait of Hormuz.